Patience in Suffering by Caitlin DeSalvo
Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
(James 5:10)
Patience in the face of suffering, perhaps the most difficult pill to swallow. Being patient has never been a strong personality trait of mine, especially in moments of uncertainty and definitely in times of suffering. We want the suffering to end. We want the uncertainty to become certain. However, when we’re in the midst of the trials and tribulations that life inevitably brings, it’s difficult to wait and see.
In the midst of grief is when I find it most difficult to find patience. After all, grief is one of the biggest uncertainties in life. When handed the worst news one could possibly hear, it feels impossible to grasp for patience. We’ve no choice but to watch as the world continues to turn, and others continue to go on with their everyday life, while we’re in the thralls of numbing grief and uncertainty.
This spring, when our sweet babe was called to heaven, patience wasn’t even in the realm of my vocabulary. I wanted the grieving to be over, the sympathy to cease, and to be pregnant once again. I yearned to feel, but I was numb. The one thing that brought feeling to my numbness was the stories that were shared with me. People who, through insurmountable courage, have shared their stories of loss and what brought them comfort in the darkest of days, brought comfort to me. Hearing their stories of patience in the waiting and suffering dug me out of my hole and allowed me to feel once again.
Just as the farmers wait for the yielding of their crop, we too must stand firm as the comfort of the Lord is near; it always is.
Caitlin DeSalvo